Do you live in and love West Gippsland’s catchments? Would you like to get involved in their management and care? Then this opportunity is for you!
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) is currently seeking new members for their Community Engagement Network.
“Community engagement and partnerships are a key area of focus for us and pivotal in achieving natural resource management (NRM) outcomes and the delivery of the Regional Catchment Strategy,” said Tash Marty Cripps, Partnership and Engagement Project Officer for WGCMA.
“The intention of the network is to provide a modern and flexible approach to community engagement, and we aim to engage a wide cross section of the community to exchange information about NRM issues in our region,” Tash explained.
“The Network gets together several times a year in one of West Gippsland’s beautiful catchment areas to take a look at the work we do and discuss issues facing the community. In between gatherings, we will link members and provide them with opportunities for input to relevant plans and strategies.”
Tash has personal experience of the benefits of being a part of this community forum being a member before joining the team.
“The CEN was my gateway to working at WGCMA. It facilitated my learning about their fantastic work around the region, allowed me to meet the friendly staff and helped me understand the natural resource issues being managed. It was also a lot of fun! I mean, who doesn’t want to sit on a picnic rug in a grassy area of the Powlett River and listen to a talk about estuary management or Traditional Owner engagement before an informative beach walk and a delicious lunch?” said Tash.
“It tied in with my interests, allowed me to network with other passionate locals and gave me a voice, for example allowing me to provide my feedback during community engagement workshops for the development of the Regional Catchment Strategy. It was those three years with the CEN that convinced me that WGCMA is a place I’d love to work, to contribute more to the management of our land and water resources across West Gippsland.”
Applications are now open for new members to join for a period of three years and must be submitted by 5pm on Friday 4 March 2022.
